Amends
by minervasrevenge
Summary: Ron always had the knack for deeply wounding Hermione. What happens when she catches him cheating?
1. Chapter 1

**Part I: Anguish**

Hermione blinked. She had been staring at the parchment under her hands without seeing it. Was she in her office? She closed her eyes, trying to shut out a picture that had been burned into her mind.

Harry. She should go see Harry.

Forgetting her wand, forgetting her responsibilities, Hermione floated out of the Department of Mysteries, up the stairs, and into the lift to Level Two where Harry and the rest of the Aurors worked.

"See you at the fundraiser, tonight?" Seamus asked as he exited the lift. He gave Hermione a concerned glance when she didn't reply but the door shut and the lift continued up.

The fundraiser was tonight? Hermione fretted about it until she found herself at the edge of the Aurors' office and her eyes locked on Draco Malfoy.

Oh, he was perfect. No, he was better than perfect; Draco Malfoy was poetic justice.

"Draco," Hermione said, suddenly beside his desk.

The blond wizard looked up from a map, identified Hermione, and frowned.

"Hermione?" he replied.

"Would you care to accompany me to the fundraiser tonight?" she asked.

Draco stared silently at up at her for a moment, face a careful mask.

"I'd like that," he finally replied.

"Lovely," Hermione said. "Pick me up at seven."

"Hermione," Harry interjected, firmly grasping her arm and directing her away from Draco towards his office.

"Did you just ask Malfoy to the fundraiser?" Harry asked, attempting to make eye contact with his friend.

"I did," Hermione replied, examining the pictures on the walls. Harry had decorated with photos of his family and friends and she rather loved it. When her gaze found a particular face, her heart froze.

"Aren't you currently _living with Ron_?" Harry asked, voice leaden with disbelief. He watched Hermione closely, aware that there was something off about her. Why wouldn't she look at him?

"Not anymore," Hermione muttered bitterly, tearing her eyes from Ron's smiling face.

Startled, Harry demanded Hermione's attention by gripping her arms.

"What? When did this happen?"

The moment Hermione focused on Harry, she could repress it no longer. It was as if a dam inside of her ruptured and tears streamed down her face. Pain surged through her as the meaning of what she'd seen finally registered in her mind. Hermione would have fallen to her knees but Harry was holding her and summoned a chair to catch her.

"This morning," she managed to gasp through her misery.

Harry held Hermione, shocked to his core. He'd never seen her lose control of her emotions with tears; anger, yes, but never tears. It didn't last long but she cried harder than he'd seen anyone cry.

"I popped by the flat for my sweater," Hermione said softly, gently separating herself from Harry. She used her sleeve to wipe her face. Her eyelids were like sandpaper.

"There was – Ron – there was a witch in our bed…"

"Who? Maybe she's a friend," Harry sputtered.

"Yes, the special close friend that you sit astride while naked," Hermione snapped. Her heartbreak was giving way to anger.

"I'll curse him," Harry breathed.

"No, Harry. This isn't your battle. I'm sorry about crying all over you… I just needed to get it out." Hermione stood. Her legs were shaky but her head was clearer. She gave Harry a grateful peck on the cheek and saw herself out of his office.

Harry followed her, furious at Ron and concerned for Hermione. She tended to lose her head over him and the depth of her pain rocked him. He hoped he didn't see Ron anytime soon; he wasn't sure what he'd do.

"What is it?" Draco asked, joining him to stare after Hermione.

Harry mentally smacked himself on the forehead. He'd forgotten that Hermione had asked Draco Malfoy on a date. He wondered if she would remember.

"She walked in on Ron cheating on her this morning," Harry said, anger creeping into his voice.

"I knew something was wrong," Draco replied, gaze darkening after Hermione as she stepped onto the lift.

"Are you really going to bring her tonight?" Harry asked.

"Yes. And I'll treat her better than Weasley ever did," Draco drawled, a bit of swagger lifting his chin.

"I don't know if I ought to tell you what happened today," Harry said after he'd hung his cloak.

Ginny froze for a moment, wand pointed at a bubbling pot. The tone of Harry's voice made her curious.

"Are you alright?" She asked with a frown and lowered the heat under the pot.

"I'm fine. Worried about Hermione. And Draco. And a bit about your brother."

"'My brother?'" Ginny repeated. "What's the idiot done that you won't claim him as your friend over my brother?"

Harry summoned parchment, ink, and quill from the sitting room and scribbled a quick note. He settled back in his chair and handed the scroll to Wendelin, their barn owl.

Once the owl was off through the open window, Harry continued. "I heard Hermione ask Draco to tonight's party-"

"What?" Ginny gasped.

"Yes," Harry agreed. "That's what I said. I pulled her into my office and she just stood there, looking at the pictures on my walls."

"Is she alright?" Ginny asked in a high voice, losing patience with Harry's story. She abandoned her cooking to sit down with him at their tiny kitchen table.

"She popped back home this morning for her coat and caught Ron shagging a witch in their bed…"

Harry watched Ginny's face go white and then red with anger.

"I'll kill him."

"I said that, too. She cried a bit and went back downstairs."

Ginny took a deep breath and closed her eyes for a moment. She got up and began moving things around in the kitchen as if she didn't know what to do.

"What was the owl about?" She asked, sounding unusually defeated.

"I sent Hermione a reminder about her date. I'm not sure she'll remember setting it up."

"Shit. Draco." Ginny exclaimed, gesturing with the bowls in both of her hands.

"I know. I asked him if he was really going to do it – take her out – he said he would and he'd treat her better than Ron ever had."

"Why do you suppose she asked Draco?" Ginny mused, setting a bowl in front of Harry and falling into her own chair, eating forgotten.

"I doubt she planned it, in her state of mind. I think she saw him and came up with the idea as a way to hurt Ron."

"Do you think she knows?"

"Perhaps, subconsciously. It certainly isn't the best kept secret of the century." Harry took a half-hearted bite of dinner then set his spoon aside. "I watched Draco put himself back together after the war. She isn't the sort to rip him apart but she may do so by accident."

"Perhaps, you better tell her," Ginny whispered.


	2. Chapter 2

**Part II: Requite**

Ron was at Quidditch practice when Hermione summoned everything she owned into a trunk and Disapparated for Hogsmeade. He'd come home to an empty apartment; Hermione didn't care to leave him a letter. She hadn't a clue what to say. She didn't want to say anything.

A sack of Galleons and her notoriety secured Hermione a flat above Scrivenshaft's within an hour. She tossed cleaning spells around and half-heartedly transfigured furniture until the place felt cozy. She jumped when an owl tapped on her window. It was Harry's barn owl, Wendelin.

" _Hey, genius. In case you've forgotten, you're expecting Draco bloody Malfoy at 7._ "

Hermione smiled at Harry's teasing message. Yes, she was expecting Draco bloody Malfoy, indeed. Nothing in existence would pierce Ron's soul like seeing her on the arm of Draco Malfoy.

Steeping in the petty joy of causing Ron as much pain as he'd caused her, she bathed and dressed for the evening's event.

When Draco arrived, Hermione was hidden behind a wall of grief. She made small talk with the wizard and smiled when she should. They took the invitation-turned-Portkey to the party.

The stadium-sized tent glowed with white light in the forest; happy chatter and the clink of glasses emanated from within. Draco led Hermione to the queue and they waited their turn to enter, in silence.

Inside, Hermione searched the crowd for a particular face. Her gaze fixed on each ginger and dismissed them. She reasoned it would take Ron some time to comprehend the flat empty of her belongings and contact Harry.

"Would you like something to drink?"

Hermione shook her head; "Let's dance." Draco Malfoy was known to dance well; of course, any wizard was an improvement over clumsy Ron. Blinking back tears, Hermione placed her hand in his.

For a little while, it was easy to forget the life waiting when the party ended. Draco guided Hermione with effortless expertise through two songs before directing her to a stop and fetching drinks. Laughter was an unexpected release while they chatted. Draco left her to return their glasses to the bar and Hermione's head spun a bit. They were barely friends and she hadn't expected to enjoy his company.

The fantasy ended when Ron arrived.

"Hermione, what's going on?" he said, voice already low with anger.

"I should think it's obvious," Hermione replied in a deceptively soft tone. "We're through."

"What? Why?" Ron barked, reaching for Hermione.

She stepped out of his range, eyes flashing.

"Hermione?" Draco had joined her.

" _I saw you_ ," she hissed at Ron, feeling behind her. She found a hand; fingers laced through hers and gave an encouraging squeeze. Ron's face went white.

Hermione was turned and pulled towards the dance floor. "Dance with me," Draco said. The melody was a slow one. Hermione utterly lost control of her emotions as the wizard held and swayed with her. She hid her face and managed to keep her sobs silent as Draco's arms tightened around her. His hands were comforting as they moved slowly across her back.

Hermione didn't know how much time passed but she was out of tears. She lifted her face from Draco's chest and whispered an apology. Her hands had twined themselves into the front of his robes. They stood in a dimmer corner of the tent.

"Want to leave?" he asked, grey eyes obscured in the darkness.

Hermione nodded. She thought he might Apparate them away. Before that happened, though, something else happened. Draco lifted her chin and pressed her lips to his. The simple kiss stirred Hermione's confused emotions. She broke the connection with a gasp and they Disapparated.

Hermione stepped back from Draco, her hand going to her mouth.

"He was watching," Draco explained.

"Oh?"

"It's what you wanted, isn't it? To hurt him?"

Hermione nodded and pressed a hand to her eyes. They were utterly raw.

"Yes. Thank you," she said lamely.

"Will you be alright?" Draco asked.

Hermione realized that he'd brought her to her doorstep. "I'll be fine. Oh, dear. I cried all over you. …I owe you, don't I?"

Draco's smirk made Hermione's insides tighten in pleasant ways.

"Don't worry. When I collect, it'll be something you'll enjoy," he said. "Good night."

 **Part III: Strife**

When Hermione left the Department of Mysteries for the day, she was pleasantly surprised to find Harry waiting for her.

"We need to talk," he said, robbing all joy from the meeting

"If this is about _him_ , I don't want to hear it," she snapped.

"It's about another _him_ ," Harry mocked. "Want to discuss it in the corridor?"

"Don't you get shirty with me, Harry! I'll hex your fingers off," Hermione growled.

Harry laughed and held up his hands. "Hermione! Just get a drink with me!"

Ten minutes later, they walked into a small pub in Diagon Alley and took chairs at the bar.

Once they had drinks, Hermione turned an expectant glare on her best friend and took a sip from her mug.

"Draco Malfoy is in love with you," Harry said quietly.

Hermione sputtered and choked on her drink and Harry thumped her on the back. She hated that he was laughing.

"What the hell, Harry? That's not funny," Hermione coughed.

"I don't know how you've missed it, you horrible swot," Harry teased.

"You can't be serious."

Harry stared at her until she balked.

Hermione covered her face with her hands. She'd used Draco!

"I'll apologize to him," she said, peering at Harry through her fingers.

"No. I'm going to ask you to leave him alone."

"But-"

"No, he's been through enough. He'd curse me for telling you this but he's not a Gryffindor, Hermione, and he's only just put himself together."

Drink forgotten, Hermione could barely breathe.

"I'm serious. If you're not interested, leave him alone."

"He kissed me. I should have guessed," Hermione confessed, fingers subconsciously tracing her lips.

"He doesn't think you'll ever forgive him," Harry said, drinking deep from his mug.

"For?"

"Calling you that awful name, letting Death Eaters into Hogwarts. You know, _everything_."

"I already have," Hermione said, remembering her drink. She took a sip and frowned, mind spinning. She'd forgive Draco his sins upon his family's repentance, no matter that it came at the end.

"Incidentally, he never knows about this conversation."

"Alright, Harry," Hermione agreed.

Harry took his leave but Hermione stayed-on for another round.

 **Part IV: Amends**

Hermione waited until the end of the day when she was certain to catch him at his desk, before making her way up to the Aurors' office. He didn't immediately spot her so she studied Draco with a critical eye as she walked towards him. There was a smudge of soot on his jaw and his hair was disheveled and his robes were open down the front. He'd had a long day. When he spotted her, a distinct glint lit his gaze.

"Draco," she said.

"Hermione," he replied, idly twirling his wand in one hand.

"I'd like to take you to dinner," Hermione said, aware that a few sets of eyes watched them with interest.

"I was kidding about owing me anything," he said and she almost believed him.

"Not as a thank you," she said, leaning casually on his desk.

"Then, why?" he asked.

She leaned close to him; "When you kissed me, it wasn't because Ron was watching."

His grey eyes widened just a hair, just enough for Hermione to know he understood. She closed the distance between them and pressed her lips to his.

 **Warning** : Not Epilogue, Cursed Child, or Pottermore compliant

 **Beta** : Pfft, right.

 **Started** : November 29, 2016

 **A/N** : Prompt totally stolen from Dramione's 'If the Prompt Fits' prompt fest. Prompt: After finding Ron cheating in her office at the Ministry, Hermione enlists Draco to make Ron jealous.


End file.
